Changing the Climate - Part 5 of 8
THE ANOINTING OF GOD – Part 2
Recap of last message
A couple of weeks ago I started to look at what the scriptures say about the Holy Spirit and how He can (and should) be moving in our lives.
In JOHN 14:16-17 Jesus said, I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.
And again in LUKE 24:46-49a He told them, "This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what My Father has promised; …………”
And so very clearly, the Holy Spirit is a PROMISE.
And this promise stretches from right back into the Old Testament. God spoke through the prophet Joel, and said, JOEL 2:28-29 I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
BUT Scripture is also clear that when the Holy Spirit fell upon people, there was a reason for this. The most obvious scripture is Jesus speaking again where He says, ACTS 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
As Pentecostals, we often see the Holy Spirit as something that will make us feel good – make us laugh and shout and without doubt, this is what can happen. BUT the main reason for the Him to come upon believers was to empower them to rise up above adversity and struggles and to live lives so different than the rest of the world that we would automatically become witnesses of His saving grace and mercy.
I haven’t forgotten that I started a study on the Book of Romans and am yet to finish it, but if you look in ROMANS 5 it talks about how Christians are now justified,
ROMANS 6 talks about how believers because of being justified, are now dead to sin,
ROMANS 7 talks about despite being dead to sin and united to Christ there is still a battle of the two natures – the spiritual and the flesh – and don’t we all know that there is a constant battle raging within us to sin and not to sin!
BUT LISTEN! ROMANS 8 is all about being delivered from that state of turmoil that causes us to fail and fall, to repent and rise, only again to fail and fall.
Do you know what ROMANS 8 talks about? It talks about the Holy Spirit. In the first 27 verses, the Holy Spirit is mentioned 19 times.
- - - - - \ - - - - -
MATHEW 7:7-11 “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened. Or what man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD’S GIFT TO EACH BELIEVER. BUT WE MUST RECEIVE HIM INTO OUR LIVES. AND WHEN WE DO THAT, THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN EMPOWER US TO MOVE AWAY FROM LIVING A DEFEATED EXISTENCE OF CONSTANT INNER STRUGGLES INTO THE ABUNDANT AND VICTORIOUS LIFE JESUS PROMISED IS OURS.
Scripture encourages us to have a child-like faith – a faith that trusts that God IS IN CONTROL OF ALL THINGS! One that trusts that He is not going to give us a stone when we ask Him for some bread……
COMMON ARGUMENTS
But when it comes to being baptised in the Holy Spirit and being filled with the Holy Spirit, it is almost like we no longer trust that what God has for us is not only good, but GREAT! I know that when I first got saved there was something lacking and it was when I got baptised in the Spirit that I knew what that something was!
Some Christians think they do not need to be baptised in the Holy Spirit! They have been taught that when you get saved you automatically get filled with the Holy Spirit and after that they do not need any further experience to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
But that is not scriptural. Some of the people in the New Testament who were followers of Jesus, who believed that He was who He said He was, were told by Him to wait in Jerusalem to be filled with the Spirit.
ACTS 2:4, it says that they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
Although the disciples were already believers it was not until the day of Pentecost that they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
ACTS 8:14-17 The people of Samaria heard the Gospel preached. They believed and were baptised in water, but they had not received the Holy Spirit. They were saved through the ministry of Philip. They received the Holy Spirit through the ministry of Peter and John. Receiving the Holy Spirit was a separate experience from receiving salvation.
ACTS 19:1-6 describes how Paul went to the city of Ephesus and met people described as "disciples". The first question Paul asked was, "Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?"
If people received the Holy Spirit when they received salvation it would be foolish for Paul to ask this question. The fact that he asked it makes it clear that people become believers without receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Even if a person receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit at the same time they are converted, it is still a separate experience from salvation.
Baptism and Filled – The Difference
So what is the difference between being baptised and being filled with the Holy Spirit? Here is a simple illustration: Baptism is immersion – like a cup being placed under water – the cup is baptised – after baptism it is then automatically filled! But don’t forget…… we leak! Therefore we can often, as often as we need to, be refilled again.
Another reason why some people do not seem to FULLY EXPERIENCE this baptism or want to be filled is
FEAR:
Some believers do not seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit because they are afraid they will receive an experience that is not of God. But as it says in MATTHEW 7:7-11, God will not give you anything that will harm you.
Another part of fear is the fear that God may then expect you to do something that you do not want to do. I do not believe it is scriptural at all when people say, “Don’t ask the Lord to not send you to Africa, because He will do that!” God is a loving Father who will NOT force you to do something that you do not want to do.
The Holy Spirit will enable you to become a more victorious Christian. One that is able to rise up above the struggles and live a life of triumph and abundance.
EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Another objection is that it is just an emotional experience. And yes there may be some emotion involved.
ACTS 13:52 says "the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost." Some people react emotionally to the joy which comes with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You may shout, laugh, or cry.
It is interesting to observe the emotional reaction of people to various athletic events. They will yell, laugh, jump up and down, and get excited over a sports game. How much more excited should we be over a gift like the Holy Spirit which accomplishes so many purposes in our lives, brings great joy, and equips us with power to reach the world with the Gospel and live FULL lives.
PSALM 95:1-3 O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
PSALM 150:3-6 Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!
But you do not have to fear that the baptism in the Holy Spirit will cause you to do something improper or cause you to lose control of yourself.
1 COR 14:33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
DO ALL SPEAK WITH TONGUES?
Paul asked this in 1 CORINTHIANS 12:30, "Do all speak with tongues?" The answer to his question is "No, all do not speak with tongues." But Paul is not speaking here of the experience of being baptised in the Holy Spirit. The discussion concerns gifts of the Holy Spirit which can be used by the believer in the church.
1 COR 12:27-28 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.
This gift of tongues is the ability to give special messages to the church in tongues through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I have attempted to not give my opinion on what scripture says but rather just look at the facts of scripture. BUT when you look through scripture, when you hear the testimony of others, I am convinced
1. I believe that every Spirit filled Christian should speak in tongues.
2. Just because you do not speak in tongues, does not mean that you are not filled with the Holy Spirit.
3. Just because you can speak in tongues does not mean you are any better than someone who can’t!
4. Just because one person can speak in tongues and another cant doesn’t mean that one is any better as a Christian than the other.
5. Tongues DOES give you an added dimension to your prayer life.
Although everyone should experience the sign of tongues when baptised in the Holy Spirit, not everyone receives this special gift of tongues. WHY? Well apart from some people having gifts others do not have……… it is the Holy Spirit’s choice.
AND SO WHERE TO FROM HERE?
We must not get hung up on the issue of speaking in tongues. In 1 CORINTHIANS 14 Paul implies that tongues is something that should not be your main focus. Baptism and speaking in tongues should be as natural as being alive and breathing! There are far more important things to focus your energies on. BUT. In the same way do not despise/reject speaking in tongues. I think it is dangerous to take the stance that because you do not speak in tongues that it is not for everyone – especially you! I also believe that it is dangerous to ONLY read books by people who support your stance – that is where imbalance happens!
IMPORTANCE OF THE EXPERIENCE
But why do we need to experience the baptism in the Holy Spirit? It is important because it enables you to become a powerful witness of the Gospel.
Let me finish with these two portions of scripture:
(ACTS 1:8 NIV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
(MARK 16:17-18 NIV) And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.
· RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT
The following are guidelines for receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
o REPENT AND BE BAPTISED:
(ACTS 2:38 NASB) And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
o BELIEVE IT IS FOR YOU:
(ACTS 2:39 NASB) For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.
o DESIRE IT:
(JOHN 7:37-39 NASB) Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ’From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’" But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
o ACCEPT IT AS A GIFT:
The Holy Spirit has already been given. It was given to the Church on the Day of Pentecost. Because it is a gift, you can do nothing to earn it:
(ACTS 2:38) ...the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(GAL 3:2 NIV) I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?
(GAL 3:5 NIV) Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
(GAL 3:14 NIV) He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
Begin to praise and thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
o YIELD TO GOD:
Yield your tongue to God in praise and worship. As you praise Him audibly you may first experience stammering lips. As you continue to yield your tongue to the Holy Spirit, He will begin to speak through you words foreign to your understanding. This is the confirming physical sign of Holy Spirit baptism:
(ACTS 2:4 NIV) All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
CONCLUSION
Prayer for anyone?
